Dancenorth

Dancenorth is a contemporary dance company based in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia. Founded as the North Queensland Ballet Company in 1969, Dancenorth performs for regional, national and international audiences. It is one of Australia’s leading contemporary dance companies having presented work in over 35 International Arts Festivals and venues around Australia and the world. .[1]

Additionally, Dancenorth uses dance to connect with diverse and minority communities across Queensland. The company works with people of all abilities and offers open dance classes for aspiring local dancers of all ages.[2]

The company

Dancenorth is a not-for-profit organisation and is managed by a board of directors. The company's home is the historically significant School of Arts building located in the Townsville City Centre. When in Townsville, the building acts as Dancenorth's own dedicated rehearsal space and 190-seat theatre with full production facilities.

Dancenorth provides an important cultural and dance presence in Townsville whilst maintaining international renown with their professional ensemble who tour globally.

ARTISTIC PHILOSOPHY

Dancenorth aspires to be regionally proud, nationally respected and internationally desired. In 2015 Dancenorth embarked on a bold new phase of artistic direction, lead by Artistic Director Kyle Page. This new structure saw the appointment of two eminent and nationally renowned Artistic Advisors, Cheryl Stock and Bradley Chatfield, who work closely with the company in guiding its artistic pathway. Nationally, Dancenorth has become a creative hub for a broad range of artistic voices. As well as the presence of guest choreographers and dance secondments, the company offers an Artist Residency in the Tropics (A.R.T.) program for dance creators. True to the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, the residency engages with creators with specific needs and dancers of Indigenous Australian origin. Dancenorth is also an integral part of the Australian dance ecology making a significant contribution to the dance sector and building literacy around contemporary dance nationally. It has become major champion of the arts in regional North Queensland. The company embarks on an annual regional tour of Australia, performing and teaching dance in remote or rural communities.

The company has received international accolade and renown, having performed in a number of major festivals and venues worldwide.

CREATIVE PROCESS

Dancenorth is centred upon an inclusive ethos of shared ownership, collective conscience, support, interconnection and empowerment, which galvanises the Company’s administrative and creative endeavours. The company’s values of reciprocal collaboration and fearless creativity are exercised by the ensemble in the formation of any new work, with guidance from Artistic Director Kyle Page and Associate Artistic Director Amber Haines. Far from idealistic, Dancenorth’s guiding principles are firmly grounded in current research by scientists and artists into the mind/ body relationship.[3] Based on significant scientific developments over the last 15 years Artistic Director Kyle Page has established a daily practice for the company dancers, which incorporates several mind and body techniques designed to develop the cognitive processes and support the use of a full range of mental, emotional and sensorial processes in dance creation. Kyle seeks to involve the dancers in a much more thinking capacity within the creation of new work whilst simultaneously nurturing technical virtuosity. He is currently working with mentor Dr. Scott de la Hunta, exploring the dance / science nexus.

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT

Dancenorth currently runs a number of community enrichment programs. Lead by Community Engagement and Learning Manager Andrea Dighton, the company participates in local events, offers open dance classes and partners with community access organisations such as Kith&Kin, Cootharinga and Dance for Parkinson’s Australia (Vital Dance).[3] These classes culminate in the annual Dance Tropics Dance event; a performance opportunity for all those that are a part of the Dancenorth community.

The Dancenorth ensemble presents an unticketed event once a year for the Townsville community as part of the North Australian Festival of Arts. In 2018 and 2019 Dancenorth was a collaborator in Mulkadee.

People

Artistic Directors and General Managers

{DANCE NORTH (1985 – PRESENT )

ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

2014 – present Kyle Page

2010 – 2014 Raewyn Hill

2005 – 2008 Gavin Webber

1997 – 2005 Jane Pirani

1996 – 1997 Graeme Watson

1995 – 1996 Wendy Wallace

1985 – 1994 Cheryl Stock (first director of professional company)

GENERAL MANAGERS

2018–Present Hillary Coyne (Executive Director, Co-CEO)

2015 – 2018 Deanna Smart (Co-CEO)

2012 -2015 Trevor Keeling

2011 -2012 Peter Helft

2007-2010 Jo Fisher

2005 – 2006 Trevor Keeling

2000 – 2004 Henry Laska

1997 – 1999 Joanne Keune

1996 – 1997 Leanne Gunnelson/Alex Rhodes

1985 – 1995 Lorna Hempstead (first general manager of professional company)

Artistic Director

Kyle Page began his professional career at Dancenorth in 2004 and in 2014 was appointed Artistic Director of the company. Over the last 11 years he has performed in 17 countries around the world. Kyle has collaborated with internationally renowned choreographers including Meryl Tankard, Garry Stewart, Lucy Guerin, Gavin Webber, Ikuyo Kuroda, Antony Hamilton, Jo Stone and Paulo Castro, Larissa McGowan and Stephanie Lake. In 2013 Kyle was offered an Asialink residency and spent three months in Varanasi, India, in the same year he was selected as a finalist in the Australian Arts in Asia Award. He was recently invited to take part in the prestigious Arctic Circle Residency with his wife and long-time collaborator, Amber Haines. Research into cognitive processes and neuroscience regularly inform Kyle’s creative developments and he is currently working with mentor Scott de la Hunta, exploring the dance / science nexus. In 2015 Kyle was awarded a position in the coveted AIM30. In September 2015 Kyle was recognised as one of North Queensland’s top 50 most influential people.

Executive Director

Hillary Coyne was employed at Dancenorth in 2018, having worked for nearly twenty years in the Australian arts and cultural sector. She has a number of Post Graduate qualifications including a Masters in Arts Management. She has worked across three different states in Australia in many and varied roles and has toured extensively both nationally and internationally. She has worked for small not for profit organisations, larger companies, festivals and with emerging artists producing independent work. Immediately prior to her appointment as Dancenorth’s Executive Director, Hillary worked with Chunky Move as the Company Producer. She is thrilled to work with such a committed and talented ensemble of dancers and the many outstanding guest artists associated with the company.

Associate Artistic Director

Amber Haines is currently the Associate Artistic Director of Dancenorth. In 2006 Amber attained her Bachelor of Dance from the Victorian College of the Arts graduating with the Mary Orloff Prize for Most Outstanding Dancer. Since then she has worked with many of Australia’s most acclaimed companies and choreographers including Chunky Move / Gideon Obarzanek, Australian Dance Theatre / Garry Stewart, Lucy Guerin Inc / Lucy Guerin, Stephanie Lake, Tracie Mitchelle and Alisdair Macendoe. Over the past 4 years, Amber and Kyle Page, her partner and long-time collaborator, have co-directed four full-length works for Dancenorth including Syncing Feeling, Spectra, Rainbow Vomit and Dust. Over the past 4 years, Amber and Kyle Page, her partner and long-time collaborator, have co-directed four full-length works for Dancenorth including Syncing Feeling, Spectra, Rainbow Vomit and Dust. These critically acclaimed works have been performed across Australia, Japan and France including major international arts festivals - Sydney Festival, Brisbane Festival, OzAsia Festival, Ten Days on the Island, MOFO and at The Théâtre National de Chaillot Paris. Their works have received numerous award nominations from the Helpmann Awards, Australian Dance Awards and greenroom Awards.

Dancers

The Company currently employs seven full-time dancers: Samantha Hines, Mason Kelly, Jenni Large, Ashley McLellan, Georgia Rudd, Felix Sampson and Jack Ziesing.

History

North Queensland Ballet Company

Ann Roberts, Principle of the Ann Roberts School of Dancing and parents in Townsville were concerned by the lack of opportunities for young ballet dancers in North Queensland, organised a public meeting to assess public interest in forming a North Queensland ballet company.[4]

The North Queensland Ballet and Dance Company was established 17 July 1969. From the first audition 41 students were accepted including one from Ayr, five from Cairns and one from Mount Isa.[4]

Between 1970 and 1982, the North Queensland Ballet Company presented:[4]

  • 24 original ballets created especially for the company
  • 3 productions with excerpts from full-length ballets
  • 3 full-length ballets re-created for the company
  • 2 historical ballets created especially for the company
  • 10 one-act ballets created or re-created for the company.

From 1983 to 1984, 16 new works were created for the new profession/amateur company.[5]

Dance North

In 1985 the Company became fully professional and changed its name to Dance North becoming a contemporary dance institute with "a policy of all new Australian works"[6] which primarily trains and performs in Townsville region but tours extensively both nationally and internationally.[6]

1998 saw the première of Luuli, a unique and rich collaboration between Dancenorth and Woomera Aboriginal Corporation which fused traditional Aboriginal dance with contemporary western dance and was seen by over 30,000 people nationally and internationally over several years.[6]

dancenorth-australia

Dance North became dancenorth-australia in 2006 and has become a vital part of North Queensland's artistic and theatric culture. In 2007, dancenorth took to the streets in between productions to raise awareness of dance through their participation in local Townsville community events. On 15 February 2007, Her Excellency the then Governor of Queensland, Quentin Bryce AC kindly accepted dancenorth's invitation to become the company's patron for the duration of her appointment as Governor, further solidifying dancenorth as an integral part of Queensland's arts culture.

Dancenorth

In 2008, Dancenorth-Australia changed its name to Dancenorth in preparation for becoming a Major Performing Arts group of the Australia Council for the Arts. This change in approach has also served to refresh and consolidate their image to accurately reflect the company's revitalised perspective whilst creatively reflecting their ambitions, artistic direction and philosophy. In 2008, Her Excellency Penelope Wensley AO kindly accepted the invitation to continue Dancenorth's patronage as the Governor of Queensland.

Productions

Current Productions

Tomorrow Makers 3

This suite of short dance works, each brimming with ingenuity, raw talent and imagination, will be performed over the course of 2 hours, followed by a brief Q&A session between the audience and the Dancenorth company.

- This work will premiere at 7pm from the 6-8th August at the Dancenorth Theatre


NOISE

NOISE is a brand new work of epic proportions created by Dancenorth in collaboration with Townsville’s percussion community. 100 drummers thump out a scintillating live score composed / directed by King Social’s Costa Hagiaglou.

- Northern Australian Festival of Arts, July 2019.

Communal Table

This world premiere from Dancenorth sets out to illuminate the most basic of human desires through the sharing of four fundamental ingredients – food, wine, conversation and dance. Food and wine have long been fundamental tenets of social interaction, providing sustenance to both the body and mind; conversation and dancing add to this long celebrated social alchemy, creating a viscerally immersive, embodied experience.

- Preview season Townsville 10–13 September 2019. Premiere season The Joinery, Brisbane 18-21st September 2019.

Attractor

Attractor brings together sensational Indonesian music duo, Senyawa, and two of Australia’s leading dance companies, Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc to create a unique music/dance ritual.

- Performed at Health Ledger Theatre, Perth (February 2018); Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast (March 2018); Brighton Dome Concert Hall, Brighton, UK (May 2018); City Theatre, Bruges, Belgium (December 2018); Vancouver Playhouse, Vancouver, Canada (January 2019); Big Concert Hall, Stanford, USA (January 2019); Joyce Theatre, New York, USA (April 2019); Kay Theatre, Maryland, USA (May 2019); DeGollado Theatre, Guadalajara, Mexico (May 2019); Stadsschouwburg, Utrecht, Holland(May 2019)

Spectra

Spectra was directed by Kyle Page and Amber Haines. Spectra is an investigation into the latent beauty that resides within causal agency, illuminating the potency of intentional actions and their inherent power to bear fruit in the future.

- Performed at Dancenorth, Townsville (September 2015); OzAsia Festival, Adelaide Australia (September 2015), Kanagawa Arts Centre, Yokohama, Japan (October 2016), Sydney Festival, Australia (January 2017) and Scene Nationale Flers France, La Comete Champagne and Le Safran Amiens (April 2018).

Syncing Feeling

Kyle Page and Amber Haines rigorously explore ‘the duet’ in Syncing Feeling. Delving into Theory of Mind, Metacognition and Mirror Neurons, Syncing Feeling Illuminates cognitive processes that facilitate a host of enigmatic aspects of the human mind, including empathy, imitation learning and the decoding of another person’s actions, feelings and emotions.

- Performed at Theatre National de Chaillot, Paris, France (April 2018)

Rainbow Vomit

Rainbow Vomit is an immersive contemporary dance show created for young audiences, whilst maintaining appeal for kids of all ages.

- Performed at Dancenorth Townsville (June 2016); Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, (June 2018); Alexander Theatre, Melbourne (July 2018); Darebin Arts Centre, Darebin (July 2018); Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin (July 2018); The Odeon, Adelaide (July 2018); Alice Springs (July 2018)

Dust

Dust is an adventurous new collaboration created by Dancenorth’s Artistic Director Kyle Page and Associate Artistic Director Amber Haines, featuring live violin by Canada’s Jessica Moss (Thee Silver Mt Zion) and an architecturally designed set by award winning Liminal Studio. Dust is as an investigation into the architecture of passive personal, social, cultural and political inheritance.

- Performed at Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane (September 2018); Carriageworks, Sydney (January, 2019); His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth (February 2019); IPAC IMB Theatre, Merrigong (March 2019); The Don Bosco Creative Arts Centre (March 2019); Alexander Theatre, Melbourne (April 2019)

One Infinity

Sound and movement combine to create the hypnotic and meditative ritual One Infinity. Inspired by a Chinese ancient tale, this cross-cultural collaboration brings eastern and western traditions together for a shared experience of beauty and contemplation.

- Performed at Coopers Malthouse, Melbourne (October 2018); Carriageworks, Sydney (January 2019); His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth (February 2019)

Past productions

2018

Surge

Surge was choreographed by Gabrielle Nankivell and sound designed by Luke Smiles. Watch as five dancers embody the hypnotic paradox of beauty and violence that rages within the elements; igniting our senses, wrestling with our temperaments and wreaking havoc on our imagination. This work premiered in the Gold Coast as part of Festival 2018.

2017

Tomorrow Makers

Tomorrow Makers was created by Dancenorth's award-winning ensemble - Jenni Large, Ashley McLellan, Mason Kelly, Georgia Rudd and Harrison Hall, featuring a new work by Melbourne based choreographer Paea Leach. What do we expect of ourselves and what do we think we are expected to do? This production premiered in Townsville in May 2017.

2016

If ___ Was___

If ___ Was___ was created by Stephanie Lake and Ross McCormack as they fell down the rabbit hole of imagination to fill in the blanks. It premiered in Townsville, June 2016.

2007-2015

The Three Dancers

The Three Dancers was created by internationally celebrated choreographer, Lee Serle; Composed by world-renowned composer, Elena Kats-Chernin, and inspired by Picasso’s painting of the same name. It premiered as part of Australian Festival of Chamber Music's Concert Crawl in July 2015.

Pre-emptive Requiem For Mother Nature

Pre-emptive Requiem For Mother Nature was created by Alisdair Macindoe’s delves into the magic of the organic world, reflecting on physical phenomena we often take for granted. Driven by inimitable natural forms the performers interact like flocking birds, schools of fish and clouds in the wind. It premiered in Townsville in 2015.

Twilight

Twilight was conceived and directed by Cheryl Stock, in collaboration with musical director and composer Ng Chor Guan from Malaysia. An overarching thread to interconnect the diverse sections has emerged through working on the sites themselves, based on what the sites at twilight evoke—the magic hour between day and night when anything is possible. It premiered in Townsville in September 2015.

THREEFOLD

THREEFOLD was directed by Huang Yi in a collaboration between Dancenorth and Tasdance and premiered in Townsville, August 2014.

ABANDON

ABANDON was co-devised by Lindy Hume and Raewyn Hill and set in the walls of Japanese visual artist Naoko Yoshimoto. The dancer is caught within the shadows of the voices, balancing finely between anxiety and serenity. Both the moving dancer and still garments, focused in a single space, represent a memory of living histories. It premiered in Townsville with Opera Queensland in July 2013.

FUGUE

FUGUE premiered in Melbourne in June 2012. It combined ideas from the Dancing Plague of 1518 in Strasbourg (then part of the Holy Roman Empire), and the structure of a Spanish Bullfight.

MASS

MASS premiered in Townsville in 2011. It was created by Raewyn Hill after an unprecedented year of natural disasters in Queensland and abroad, it explored the mettle of personal relationships when communities are besieged with intense experiences such as natural disasters.

Nowhere Fast

Nowhere Fast was choreographed by Helpmann Award winner Ross McCormack: in an environment that indicates to the everywhere but reveals nowhere specific, we are confronted with a group of individuals that appear new and alien in their own world. - Premiered in Townsville - March 2009

Remember Me

Remember Me was choreographed by Gavin Webber and combined live music, theatre and dance to create a work of great nostalgia and tenderness. - Premiered as part of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music – July 2008

Underground

Underground was choreographed by Gavin Webber and explored a world full of the paranoias and fear of people who utilise public transport. - Premiered in Townsville – April 2007

roadkill

roadkill was choreographed by Splintergroup and explores misconceptions about the heart of Australia. - Premiered at Brisbane Powerhouse - July 2007

Outros and dis-integration

Outros and dis-integration, created by guest choreographers Jo Stone and Paulo Castro and a piece by Dancenorth's Kate Harman and Alice Hinde. - Premiered in Townsville - July 2007

nightcafe 07

nightcafe 07 choreographed by Webber and the Dancenorth dancers. . Doch Gypsy Orchestra, accompanied by Townsville's 1RAR Band, provided the fuel for the many evenings of mayhem as the music's rawness, passion and lyricism got feet moving. - Premiered at Bombay Rock nightclub – September 2007.

Accolades & Nominations
Year Work Presenter Award Category Won
2019 Rainbow Vomit Darebin Arts Speakeasy Green Room Awards Duet or Ensemble Performance No
2019 Rainbow Vomit Darebin Arts Speakeasy Green Room Awards Visual Design No
2019 One Infinity Playking Productions and Jun Tian Fang in association with Dancenorth and Beijing Dance Theatre Green Room Awards Music Composition and Sound Design Yes
2019 Rainbow Vomit Darebin Arts Speakeasy Green Room Awards Shirley McKechnie Award for Outstanding Choreography No
2019 Rainbow Vomit Darebin Arts Speakeasy Green Room Awards Production No
2018 If___Was___ Dancenorth Green Room Awards Ensemble Performance Yes
2018 Attractor Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Melbourne Arts Centre, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival Australian Dance Awards Outstanding Performance by a Company Yes
2017 Attractor Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Melbourne Arts Centre, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival Helpmann Awards Best Dance Production Yes
2017 Attractor Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Melbourne Arts Centre, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival Helpmann Awards Best Choreography in a Ballet, Dance or Physical Theatre Production Yes
2017 N/A N/A Sidney Myer Awards Group Award Yes
2017 Rainbow Vomit Darebin Arts Speakeasy Australian Dance Awards Outstanding Achievement in Choreography No
2016 Spectra Dancenorth Helpmann Awards Best Ballet or Dance Work No
2016 Twilight Dancenorth Australian Dance Awards Outstanding Achievement in Community Dance No
2016 Spectra Dancenorth Australian Dance Awards Outstanding Performance by a Company No
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References
  1. [Dance North : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia]. Australian performing arts programs and ephemera (PROMPT) collection; Record 3527461. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  2. "Open Classes". Dancenorth.
  3. "Community Enrichment Programs". Dancenorth.
  4. "The early years". dancenorth-australia official website. 15 November 2007. Archived from the original on 15 November 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  5. "The pro-am years". dancenorth-australia official website. 15 November 2007. Archived from the original on 15 November 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  6. "The professional years". dancenorth-australia official website. 15 November 2007. Archived from the original on 15 November 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
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